Stories for a better planet

Nepalganj, Nepal

Although the snow leopard (Uncia uncia) inhabits some of the world’s most remote and rugged landscapes, by the end of the 1970s the species was seriously at risk of extinction. Degradation of the leopards’ habitat, human population growth and, in particular, poaching for their beautiful and valuable fur had driven them almost out of existence. The big cats, standing 60 centimetres at the shoulder and weighing up to 55 kilograms, retreated to remote and sparsely populated terrain where the remaining numbers – probably fewer than 7,000 – are struggling to survive.

Rodney Jackson admits it is difficult to assess the impact of his work on the number of snow leopards in the wild, since population trends are difficult to establish. The animals occupy a huge area – computer mapping indicates that their range could be as much as three million square kilometres – often in areas that are difficult to reach and are sparsely populated by humans. Moreover, until Jackson himself initiated special field training workshops, few local biologists were able to distinguish snow leopard signs from those of other large cats. Thus, it is hardly surprising that much of the available information is relatively recent, making it harder to detect trends over the past 20 years. However, the evidence Jackson has collected suggests that numbers have declined in many areas as a result of poaching, depletion of prey species and military activity.

Jackson sees clear evidence of leopard population decline in Afghanistan and all of the newly independent Central Asian republics – Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. China is the largest country to harbour snow leopards, but numbers have declined sharply in most provinces such as Gansu, Qinhai and Xinjiang. They have stayed relatively unchanged in parts of Tibet and the adjacent mountain areas. On the other hand, snow leopard populations may have increased in parts of Nepal, India and Mongolia, judging by the number of local reports of livestock killings. The total population is estimated at 4,500-7,500. “However,” says Jackson, “being an optimist and having travelled widely in Nepal, India, Pakistan, China and Mongolia, I tend towards the upper figure.”